This past week my family went to the beach with my brothers and mother.  We love to get together once a year with all the cousins and hang out at the beach.  The guys get together and fish.  We caught about 15 sharks that were about 3 foot long and of course I hooked and landed the 2 biggest.  I landed two 40 inch Black Tip sharks.  Some guy working in Columbia at the state house that would probably be scared to be in the same boat with the shark said I had to throw back according to the rules and regulations.  He said they have to be 54 inches.  Not sure where he got that number but he was probably thinking to himself, “It is 54 inches they won’t even try to put it in the boat.”  My two boys caught 2 of the biggest sharks they have ever caught, put them in the boat, and my 5 year old kissed it before throwing it back. 

So I’m telling my church about this yesterday.  Then later in the service during the announcements I told them about our churchwide mission trip.  We are building a church facility in Rock Hill at New Kirk Baptist Church.  We send nearly 125 if our people and about 50 from other churches including those we have built in the past.  Awesome week.  You should sign up.  It only cost $50.  I thought about sending my kids because it would be cheaper than keeping them home!

Anyway someone visited our church this Sunday for the first time.  It was a young man and his two sisters.  They needed a ride home because they did not have a car and probably walked to church or had someone drop them off.  He misunderstood me during the announcement time and said, “How do you sign up for that week long fishin trip for $50?  I’d like to do that!”

I laughed when I heard it, then I thought. “He’s right.”  It IS a week long fishin trip.  Jesus told the first disciples who by trade were fisherman, “Follow me.  And I will make you fisher’s of men.”  He basically was saying, “Catching fish really doesn’t matter.  Follow me, and I will make your life matter.  Follow me, and you will make a real difference.  Follow me, and lives will be changed.  Follow me, and I will let you partner with me as I transform people.  Follow me, and you will make history.”

So today at work, you are on a fishin’ trip.

Life’s a Trip…Live It.

It has been a week since we celebrated my dad’s home-going, Alex Clamp.  Nearly 650 individuals packed our church and paid tribute to a fine man and a Wonderful Maker.  You do not have the ability to choose your father.  I am so thankful to the Lord that he blessed my brothers and I with such a great man.  He held no degrees, but he was wise beyond reason.  There were plenty of people that made more money than he did, but not too many that gave as much away.  This is the audio of the funeral.  What better tribute can a father have than his 5 sons speaking on his behalf with clarity and conviction.  We hold 9 degrees among us, we are all strong family men, and we follow Jesus.  To a father, that is worth more than silver and gold.  Take the time to listen to the words of my brother and I.  Hopefully it will touch you as much as this great man touched us.  We miss you Daddy.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

My Dad has been going through the toughest battle of his life as he battles metastatic renal cell carcinoma in his liver.  He has been very strong throughout the battle, but it gets tough.  Yesterday as I was messaging his back everything was quiet and he started to think about shrimping at the coast at sunset in the fall.  It’s was one of Daddy’s favorite places to be.  I remember being with Daddy on the water this past year and him gazing out into the sunset and said, “You can’t look at that and know that there is a God.”

So as we sat there yesterday out of the blue he said, “When the water is slick as glass, the sun is setting, you prop your feet up on the side of the boat, no one is around and everything is quiet…that’s a good place to be.  People who haven’t been there don’t know what their missing.”

I said to him,

“Daddy, when you are hurting you need to go to that place.”

He choked up a bit and said,”It’s too far away.”

I said, “It’s closer than you think.”

This past weekend my family rented a cabin in Pigeon Forge, TN to take the boys to see snow.  Kind of ironic that the one weekend we are gone, Barnwell receives the largest snow in 6 years.  At any rate, we found the cabin fine after a 8 hour journey and detour.  The quote of that night was on a country rode off I40 when I pulled into an unpopulated gas station and the attendent in her Tennessee drawl said to me, “You gotch you a GPS?”  “Yes” Then she said, “Turn it off.  It won’t help you here.” The next day we went to the Dixie Stampede.  A lot of fun and Caden and Connor just laughed and laughed.  It started snowing a couple of hours before the show.  Not being from the mountains it didn’t even register that I may not be able to get back to my cabin.  We started back to the cabin at 8:30 pm.  As we approached the first road off the main road we saw car after car stopped.  I then turned right and approached the first steep road.  It was covered with snow.  There were two cars in front of me.  Both slowed to a stop.  A dually truck came flying around and started to slide and a large tree saved it from going off the side of the mountain.

It was at this point that I realized I was stuck.  I couldn’t back down the mountain.  It was too slick.  I couldn’t go up the mountain, I would slide.  I couldn’t sleep in the car…We were one mile at the bottom of the mountain from our cabin.  I wrapped the boys up and we started to walk.  I had a car full of groceries and only a few groceries at the cabin, but it was too much to carry.  I grabbed my gps and off we went.

As we walked it was a bit taxing as the steep grade was tough especially in the cold air.  The roads were not well lit and only a few individuals were walking. I was trying to act like everything was fine as not to alarm the boys, but Caden wasn’t buying it.  We prayed to Jesus and said, “Please get us to the cabin safely tonight.”  Why do we pray prayers and then assume that God isn’t going to answer them… After about a quarter of a mile I reached in my pocket to look at my gps.  We had traveled in the wrong direction.  I stopped the family and turned around.  The bad part is that it was a stretch that was down hill so we started back up the hill.  As we were walking back up the hill, I looked at the gps and noticed that we were to turn right…just when the gps went dead.

So here I am walking down a dark road, responsible for my family, no directions, a mountain to climb.  I didn’t panic but it was at this time that I said to myself, I’m turning around and going back.  Back to familiar territory.  Closer to my car.  Closer to civilization.  And as I turned around to tell Leisa, head lights of a vehicle were approaching.  The closer it got I could tell it was a gator ATV with an enclosed cabin.  It was as if God whispered in my ear, “Calm down.  The Gator is the answer you have been looking for.”  The driver of the gator  told Leisa and the boys to get in the cabin and I climbed in the back and off we went.  I knew that the hill going up to the house was going to be a steep one even in an ATV so I wasn’t completely convinced yet that God was answering my prayer.  She asked where we were going and I said, 2535 Raccoon Hollow Way, Sevierville, TN.  She asked where that was and I said, the only thing I can tell you is turn right.  As we approached what was familiar territory there were two drives to the left, both steep.  I wanted to make sure that we went up the right one because I did not want to come back down on that snow and ice.  I prayed, “Please Jesus make this gps come on.”  and it did.  I got a glimpse of where to go but it wasn’t conclusive, so she started up the farthest road.  As we went up the steep road I wasn’t convinced we were going the right direction.  Then I began to read the house numbers and they were larger than mine and climbing.  I realized we were going the wrong way, and I freaked.  I tapped on the glass and said, “I don’t know where we are mam.  I think we are in the wrong area mam.  I’m not sure which way to tell you to go mam. It may be best just to take me back down to where my car is.”  That’s when she said, “Just calm down.  I’m going to get you to your cabin.”  As we crested the hill the road continued down the mountain and sure enough the numbers started to decline meaning we were just a few 100 feet from my cabin.  Then there it was, “A glimpse of Heaven.”  (That’s the actual name of our cabin!)  I then got out and breathed a sigh of relief and choked up a bit realizing how awesome God was.  I asked her name.  She said Nell.  I told her she would one day be an illustration in front of 500 people.  She said, “You’re a preacher.”  I told her, “Yes”  She said, ‘Pray for my husband.  He just passed away in November.”  We gathered with her and prayed and also prayed for her safety as she was continuing to help others.  I gave her $20 for gas.  And down the hill she went.  I’d say that I was worried about her, but I’m starting to believe in prayer.

I’m sure there is a spiritual lesson in there somewhere.  You can probably figure it out.  For me though it was pretty simple.

We have had a blast at Conclave in Chattanooga, TN.  It is one of the weekends I look forward to at the start of the new year.  This is the first year that my entire family has been able to come along.  It Snowed almost 6 inches!  This is the first time Connor actually remembered seeing snow and they had a blast making snowballs and playing.  The exhibit hall was a lot of fun for them as they have gotten a bunch of cool stuff.  Caden spun the wheel and it landed on an xbox 360!  Of course that only meant that we got put in the drawing to win, but we received a call from the exhibitors and they drew our name out!!  I don’t think I have ever won anything except the jelly of the month club.

The worship has been great with Steve Fee band.  Ergun Caner is a powerful speaker and the first night he really encouraged those who have felt beaten down in the ministry and made a comparison to Paul in Galations 6.  Ed Stetzer spoke today and focused on the ministry of reconciliation as opposed to the false gospel of moralism.

I sat in on Dr. Richard Ross’ breakout session which challenged us to gather prayer partners around teenagers and engage parents to equip them to disciple and pray for their teenagers.  He is such a humble and intelligent guy.  I am always challenged by him.  I got to hang out with Clayton King a bit who is one of those guys you just want to hang around.  He is a trip and is MCing the event.

I led a breakout session entitled Changing the Scorecard and had some sharp student ministers in attendance.  We looked at the current scorecards in the church that we measure to define success: budgets, baptisms, and butts in the seats.  We then worked on developing matrices to count results rather than assuming results were taking place because people were in attendance.  Had a great time with them.

The boys and I spent some much needed time together tonight at the swimming pool.  We had the pool to ourselves partly because everyone else was at the worship service.  I hate to miss anything at a conference like this, but it was important to my boys for me to swim with them and chunk them around the pool.  I missed a good message as Ergun Caner talked about discerning what God wants you to do in your current ministry and if he wants you to stay or go.  I guess I’ll get the CD and listen to it.

Tomorrow we wrap up the conference and hopefully we will be able to make it home.  The roads are pretty iced over.

Our family had a wonderful time together this past week.  After Thanksgiving we traveled to Orangeburg to watch my boy Rokeem and the Williston Elko Blue Devils win their first State Championship in 30 years!  It was quite a game and Rokeem had a game changing catch to convert on third down to sustain a game winning drive. 

On Saturday Leisa and the boys traveled down to Port Canaveral to board The Disney Wonder on a four day cruise to Nassau.  It was an awesome trip.  Both the boys were so excited and a bit wild, but the boat allowed them to let out their energy.  Connor got kisses from the princesses and Caden got autographs from all the characters.  We made a few new friends at dinner time as they sat with us.  Harris and Alisa from New Jersey and their daughter Faith.  Leisa and I won the newlywed game and got to go their spa on the boat which was an awesome experience.  Caden snorkeled for the first time at Castaway Cay and was able to see a few fish.  It was a great time for our family to recharge and create memories together.

On Thursday we got off of the ship and traveled to Orlando to the Nickelodeon Resort where we checked in and waited on the rest of my extended family.  My four brothers and their children and my mom and dad traveled down later that night.  My Dad has been battling liver cancer so this was a great time for all of us to get together and have a vacation away from everything.  It was my prayer that Daddy would make it through the weekend and be able to enjoy seeing the grandkids at Seaworld.  He has always wanted to take them there.  It rained all day, but we just pretended like it wasn’t raining and put on our ponchos and walked from place to place.  Caden and Connor fed dolphins and we saw several shows culminating to the Believe show with Shamu.  This was the highlight of the trip for me as the grandkids gathered around Papa and watched the show together.  They both got a whale tail necklace after the show that the divers were wearing (great marketing ploy!).  Connor rode the Polar Express with Daddy and got to see Santa with him and they took a picture together.  Connor asked if Santa could give him his gift a little early. 

On Friday night Connor started coughing every 10 seconds.  This went on for the next 24 hours!  It was aweful.  We went to urgent care and got an antibiotic for bronchitus and a steroid.  We still were able to go to the Magic Kingdom.  It was so crowded but we were able to all do the classics together.  We filled up a boat on It’s a Small World, and all went in the Haunted Mansion together.  The grandkids got a nap in the Hall of Presidents and then we rode a few more rides.  We headed back to the hotel and watched the Clemson game.  Then we went to a game show where Caden, Katie, Leisa, and I were contestants.  We won and Caden got slimed!  The imfamous green goo from Nick.  It was a great end to the week.

We traveled all day on Sunday and it was back to work on Sunday morning.  Luckily I work with one of the greatest staffs in South Carolina and are among some of the greatest people on the planet.  Everything was pretty quiet around here this past week and nothing skipped a beat.  It is a mark of good leadership among the staff and members. 

Now it is time to Expect the Unexpected!  Our new series this December.  I look forward to spending Christmas with you.

Connor, my four year old, was talking to his mom and asked when we stop going to church.  She said at noon.  He said, “No, I mean when to stop going to church for good, like school.”

She said, “We never stop going to church.”

He got a worried look on his face and with horror he exclaimed, “You mean we have to go to church even when we die!”

The horror. 

First of all, the church is a who not a what.  Second of all, have we reduced church to a one hour, boring event that we endure in order to check off the religious silo of our lives.  My prayer is that at First Baptist Church every Sunday is a revival where we celebrate what God has done through our lives during the week, encourage other believers to press on, and hear a Word from the creator of the Universe!

Now that I have had some time to process and decompress, I thought I would put my thoughts down.

My pastor, mentor, and friend Stephen Burnette, the Dr. has accepted a call to be the senior pastor at Sumter First Baptist Church.  I am very excited for that church because they will be receiving a leader who will help them transition to a vibrate, missionally minded church.

Steve has been the type of pastor that student ministers dream of serving under.  I came on board 6 months after he started at First Baptist Church in Barnwell 13 years ago.  I was fresh out of college at Clemson and single.  Steve allowed me to make some stupid mistakes in those first few years, and always lifted me up in front of the leadership.  In fact I remember times where we would have a fifth quarter and students get saved, but would also leave the campus a wreck.  As adults would complain about coke cans on the lawn, Steve would say, “Did you hear about what happend.  We had 200 students here Friday night and 10 students came to know Christ.  Isn’t that exciting?  Now what were you saying about the coke cans?”

He did not micromanage.  He let me lead.  He let me take risks.  He provided leadership and vision and suttle hints, but he always has allowed me to be the student minister.  Steve, as busy as he was, always took time if I needed him to listen and provide insight and direction.  I will miss him greatly.

Since I have been in Barnwell, he has married me to my high school sweetheart Leisa and counseled with us, presented my children Caden and Connor to the church family and prayed for them, and championed me to begin and finish my Seminary degree including two 6 week sabaticals to complete it during the summer.

Thanks Steve, I will miss you; and I promise to continue to bug you for advice!  Have fun Sumter!  Be the Church.

I am praying with my boys last night, and Caden (6) got up to go downstairs to get something to drink.  That left me and Connor (4) laying in bed waiting on Caden to come back to tell Tommy and Johnny stories, outlandish stories of two boys that get into mischief that are made up on the spot and involve flying elephants sometimes.  So I here is our conversation.

Daddy:  Who is Jesus?

Connor:  God’s son.

Daddy:  Why did he come here to earth?

Connor:  To die on a cross.

Daddy:  Why did he die on a cross.

Connor:  To protect us.

At this point I was thinking.  I haven’t ever heard that one before.  I wonder where he is going with this one.  So I ask,

Daddy:  To protect us from who?

Connor:  God…

Wow.  Connor just took it to another level.  I’m thinking he is a theological genius.  Jesus died to protect us from the wrath of God.  Precisely the point.  Many times we throw around terminology like, Jesus died for our sins, and people do not understand the why.  They think it is simply eternal life.  But in order that we might be made righteous, he died in order to protect us from just and righteous punishment for our sins.  In essence he protects us from God and takes on the wrath himself and pays the penalty in order that God might be both a merciful God and a just God.

So I ask, “Why was he protecting us from?”

Connor sucked his teeth and did this funny things with his eyes he does, and then shook his head and said,

Connor:  Just don’t worry about it, Dad.

I thought, that is precisely what Satan tries to convince the world. 

Just don’t worry about it.

Connor, my 4 year old son, got his stitches out today in his lip.  He and Caden were racing to the bathroom Tuesday night and he slipped and hit his lip on the toilet.  Connor had shouted out, “Last one there is a rotten egg!”  He was frantically trying to beat his older brother which he did just before slipping. 

I looked at him in the emergency room and told him to thank his mother.  He asked, “Why?”  I said, “Because if it weren’t for your mother, you would have a battle scar for the rest of your life.  As it is now, we have called a plastic surgeon to get out of the bed and stitch up your face.” 

At school, his preschool teacher Rebecca asked him about it.  He told her, “Next time, I guess I’ll just be a rotten egg.”